News: MCAS Miramar to ‘pilot’ energy conservation in DoD

The Consolidated Bachelors Quarters laundry facilities installed solar panels aboard Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, Calif. The solar panels heat water before it enters the boilers to conserve energy.

MARINE CORPS AIR STATION MIRAMAR, Calif. – New energy conservation efforts aboard Marine Corps Air Station Miramar will help the station reach its goal of energy independence from the San Diego power grid.

Among the three projects in the making, the Bachelor Enlisted Quarters project is slated to show the biggest change and growth. The project replaced outdated boilers in the laundry room of the BEQ with highly efficient boilers. Also, a system was installed to pre-heat water before it enters the boilers to cut back on energy used by the boilers.

“From the ‘before’ to the ‘after’ we will see such a change it’s unbelievable,” said Mick Wasco, the energy conservation manager aboard the air station. “That is why I am most excited about this project and why it’s the best single effort project.”

The Public Works building will house testing of new energy-efficient products to help lead to energy independence by 2017.

New windows made with electro-chromic glass, another future project, which uses a small electric current to add tint to the window, will help keep heat out of the building to minimize air conditioning use once installed. Also, solar panels located in the parking lot and on the roof of the building will lead to the building running on its own micro-grid.

“The windows tint during the day and lessen during the night, using an automated system to cut back on heat in the building from the sun.” said Wasco. “The tint also takes the place of blinds, leaving the window with a nice, aesthetic look.”

In the future, the results of the building may lead to the implementation of the same plan on other buildings on base.
MCAS Miramar plans to take preventative measures of overusing electricity by installing new meters that can show results whenever needed.

“We are used to paying the bill at the end of every month, and if we see we have used too much energy, it’s too late to fix it.” said Wasco. “But, with these, if we see we are using too much energy, we can see it and correct it right away.”

MCAS Miramar is one of the leading installations going green across the country. With the continuous effort to make more places aboard the air station energy efficient, MCAS Miramar may reach its goal of complete independence from the San Diego power grid.